Last Updated on April 28, 2020 by Kimberly Crawford
With the lockdowns further extending all of us are getting more anxious as to when everything will be back to normal and we will be able to go out again. Despite most of us having been assigned work from home we still find ourselves with some free time.
Watching movies all day with the kids is fun and all. It helps you ease into the newly found free time, but why not try out something productive, something new.
This lockdown seems to be the perfect opportunity to follow up on things that we used to enjoy doing or try to learn something new.
We have come up with a bunch of activities that you may find to your liking. The best part is every single one of them can take up days to finish hence becoming the perfect quarantine time pass.
1. Woodworking
You might have tried woodworking projects once or twice before but trust us it never gets old. If you have a garage and a workbench. Then a few tools and pieces of wood can be an amazing stress reliever.
Tools you will need
There are woodworking kits that have all the necessary tools for all kinds of projects, big or small. But if you don’t have the kit check if you have these separate tools
- A hammer
- Screwdrivers
- Power drills to drill something
- Handsaw or power saw
- Wood carving knives
With time effort and a few youtube videos, you can make all sorts of wooden items. Like a wooden shelf, cabinet, small tables for the kids. You can also do wood carving and make small decorative wooden showpieces.
2. Learn a new language
You might think it is harder to learn a whole new language as an adult but it is not. If you are in the mood for something challenging yet rewarding this one is definitely worth the try but remember learning a new language takes effort and practice.
You will have to practice regularly. You can use apps and join in on line courses to learn effectively. Do not think of it as a language course you had to take in school just for the grades. Rather think of it as an opportunity to learn something new and interesting.
3.Painting/Drawing/Sketching
It may have been a while since you last used a pencil on a paper let alone paintbrushes. There is also a chance you never tried painting seriously. even without a lockdown or quarantine, painting is an amazing hobby to have. Not only is it a stress reliever but also a medium of self-expression.
This is a great time to start an art project you have been eyeing or if you just want to get better at drawing. Either way, trying it out is worth it. You also do not need much equipment, to begin with.
All you need are pens, pencils, and paper. For painting, however, you might need a canvas, some acrylics, oil, and watercolors, easels, pallets, and brushes.
4. Learn to play an instrument
We all wanted to play a musical instrument at some point or other in our life or at least have tried to learn. Most of us might have even bought musical instruments with the hope of learning and playing it a lot.
After getting into our jobs we just got too busy to jam around the old guitar. If that is the case, we can certainly brush up on our skills during this lockdown. If you have a piano, a drum set, or your guitar lying around why not try playing it again. Of course, you will be a bit rusty at the beginning but you certainly can pull it off.
5. Sewing
Sewing can be another amazing stress reliever. This may take some time to get into but will certainly be worth the time. There are online classes in sewing and even whole communities in social media.
You can use these sewing skills to sew handkerchiefs, scarfs. More intermediate projects require more skill. By doing some online classes you can learn to create blinds, oven mitts, and even cushions.
6. Writing a novel
Why not let the creative juices flow in?
Writing short stories, novels or any sort of creative writing can be fun. You can pick a subject you like the most and create your very own little world using your imagination.
Maybe we have pondered over the thought of creating a mystery novel or a science fiction but writing a novel takes time. A lot of you may have thought about writing one but somehow could not manage the time. This may be a good time to brush up on those writing skills and make a routine on how to start and proceed with writing your very own piece.
7. Try a fitness routine
You won’t be able to go to the local gym during this pandemic but that certainly should not stop you from wanting to maintain good health. If you have a few pieces of equipment lying around you can turn a corner of the house into your mini gym. A few dumbbells, a barbell, a pull-up bar, a skipping rope, and a treadmill will do the job.
Even without the equipment you still can try out exercise routines. You can try freehand exercises like push-ups, squats, sit-ups. Whatever you do, make a routine first. Set a goal and then start. How about trying the 30 push-ups for 30 days challenge?
8. Learn Origami
Origami is a form of art and one of the most satisfying one indeed. It is the art of folding paper and turning them into decorative pieces. There are even levels to it, starting from basic to advance. So, why not try this one out and see how far you can go?
Among all the activities mentioned here, this one certainly feels like the most relaxing one to do. Even if you don’t need to go outside to buy the materials . You can use A4 sized papers to make origami. As a matter of fact, you can almost use any kind of paper if you know how to use it.
YouTube is the perfect place to watch tutorials and guides on how to learn origami. Who knows by the end of this lockdown you may just become an expert on it
9. Try out new dishes to cook
Food videos are always popping up on our social media platforms. So, why not try to make something new for yourself and the family. You might just find a new burning passion for cooking but do remember not to cook something that requires a large number of ingredients and requires you to go to the store to buy them.
It’s best if you start off with some easy items that you know you can make and have all the necessary ingredients right in the kitchen.
Final Thoughts
Indeed this Covid-19 pandemic has all of us down but sulking about it won’t do any good. So, try some activities. Something to keep us happy and productive.
You might just find a new hobby while trying out the things we have mentioned above.
